A Little Bit of Tie Dye and Life Lately

The past few days have been so bittersweet! Our family had such a nice time at the beach…this trip was the first time we’ve all been there together in quite a few years. I won’t say we didn’t have our moments as all families do, but it’s hard to avoid a few “moments” when you’ve got 3 sisters, 2 husbands, 2 children and Baldy & me. I would say though that all-in-all, we had a really wonderful time and made great family memories. One thing we did realize is that after Sarah and Will’s baby comes, we’re going to need a bigger house. If you have a chance, watch my (really short) IGTV video to see a bit of what we did last week!

We arrived home last night, and immediately started getting ready for a family cookout with our family and Sarah’s husbands family. Since Sarah and Will were to leave today to start their adventure in Germany, they didn’t want to have to split time between the two families, so we just all got together. Needless to say, it was a bit of a zoo because we walked in the door at around 5:30 from the beach, and the cookout was to start at 7 AND…we still needed to go grocery shopping! It all came together thanks to Bubba Burgers, frozen veggie burgers (we like Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Burgers and Buffalo Chik Patties), paper plates and potato chips along with a few glasses of wine. The evening was fun, with the kids playing together, the dogs running around and lots of talk about Germany and a new baby. It’s so much to process all at once for me, so I can’t imagine how they must be feeling. I never imagined when Will joined the Army that my daughter would move across the ocean!

I know I keep talking about this…but today (this morning in particular) was one of the most difficult mornings I’ve had in a long time. I’ve been crying off and on since last night and feel a sense of sadness that is indescribable. Bittersweet is the word that I’ve used to describe this situation because on one hand, I’m so thrilled that my daughter has the opportunity to have this experience, but Germany is very far away and there is that darn little travel ban that’s making things so hard. One of the most difficult parts of being a parent is having to let go!

These pictures were taken on Saturday morning in the harbor on Bald Head. I’m wearing a dress by Young, Fabulous and Broke and I think it’s such a perfect dress for the beach. I love the length, the colors in the tie dye and the fit…it’s fitted, but not tight. I paired it with my favorite sandals from Stuart Weitzman and that’s about it other than a pair of sunglasses. That is the great thing about summer dressing…it’s easy!

I’ve had lots of comments about my hair on Instagram recently because I’ve been wearing it curly. When the humidity is 100%, it’s almost impossible to wear it any other way. Also, in spite of getting highlights less often and washing it less. I do still have some damage, so the less heat I put on my hair the better. I find that washing it with a good quality shampoo with a bonding agent (such as Age Beautiful Ultra Bond or Olaplex), using a deep bonding conditioner, and letting it air dry completely is the best way to deal with it. I like to use TIGI Bed Head Foxy Curls Contour Cream as well as Olaplex No. 6 Bond Smoother. I’ve never found anything like the Bed Head product for keeping my curls intact and soft at the same time. The Olaplex Smoother keeps the frizz away and repairs at the same time. The two together are a great combination and can be used on wet or dry hair, making them great for second day hair use. I also use a purple shampoo that keeps my color from getting brassy in the sun. I’m going to try to put very little heat on my hair through August and hopefully, it will be less damaged going into fall, so I guess you’ll be seeing it curly much more often.

In these pictures, my hair was windblown from being on the beach the evening before, so I just put it in a low knot and let it go. I call it the beachy undone look. Undone is a good way to describe my mood at the moment.

I’m so bad about getting too much sun because I just can’t resist being out in it. I do wear sunscreen, but probably don’t reapply as often as I should. This Wednesday, I’m having a Hydrafacial as well as an anti aging body treatment at Alamance Esthetics. It’s my effort to try and undo some of the damage AND I’m keeping up with my laser appointments and getting some much needed Botox!

One product I did use often while out in the sun was my Coola Refreshing Watermist Sunscreen. It’s so easy to just spritz it on throughout the day!

I’ll be returning to Bald Head next week for a very different trip. Baldy will be back and forth and Julie Miles will be visiting and bringing all of her new jewelry designs. I’ll also be sharing all my picks from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Early access for card members starts on August 4th so you’ll want to make plans to start shopping and I’ll do my best to make it easy for you.

I’ll also use my time alone to write, reflect and plan for the rest of the year, because…it’s so hard to even believe, but when I come home at the end of August, fall will be right around the corner. My biggest hope is that the travel ban will be lifted and I’ll be planning my trip to visit Sarah & Will!

I’m sharing all of the products mentioned above in the boutique below as well as a few other things I’m loving for summer!